Transfusion in Critical Care – UK Regional Audit of Current Practice

A consistent message within critical care publications has been that a restrictive transfusion strategy is non-inferior, and possibly superior, to a liberal strategy for stable, non-bleeding critically ill patients. Translation... read more

Transfusion in Critical Care – UK Regional Audit of Current Practice

Assessing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Noncardiothoracic Surgery

In this multicenter study in 1202 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 3 patients undergoing noncardiothoracic surgery requiring 2 hours or more of general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation, at least... read more

Assessing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Noncardiothoracic Surgery

Rude Surgeons Likely to Make Mistakes

A new study finds surgeons with a history of patient complaints about their personalities or attitude are more likely to make mistakes in the operating room. Researchers compared surgical outcomes with patient reports of... read more

Rude Surgeons Likely to Make Mistakes

Carotid Stenting Technology Has More Appeal

Ten-year follow-up from the CREST trial and 5-year follow-up from the ACT I study, presented at least year's International Stroke Conference, showed that carotid artery stenting (CAS) holds up well over the long term... read more

Carotid Stenting Technology Has More Appeal

CHS using virtual critical care for heart patients

It just might be the future of medicine. Using cameras, microphones and medical sensors, heart surgeons and cardiologists inside the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute at Carolinas HealthCare System are treating patients... read more

CHS using virtual critical care for heart patients

Biopsy first: Lessons learned from CALGB 140503

In a carefully monitored cohort of patients with suspected small NSCLC <2 cm, a substantial number are misdiagnosed (benign nodules) or understaged. These patients may not have benefited from a thoracic surgical procedure.... read more

Biopsy first: Lessons learned from CALGB 140503

Sepsis Algorithm a Deadly Marker

An attempt by a Phoenix, AZ, hospital to develop a marker for deadly sepsis instead found that the algorithm identified patients at an increased risk of dying. Increasingly, algorithms govern daily life, playing an important... read more

Sepsis Algorithm a Deadly Marker

First deep brain stimulation surgery on stroke patient

Cleveland Clinic performed the nation's first deep brain stimulation surgery on a stroke patient. This is part of an ongoing clinical trial that’s evaluating whether DBS can improve movement after a stroke. Only 10... read more

First deep brain stimulation surgery on stroke patient

Waging War Against CABSIs

Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSIs) are on the decline, according to the 2016 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report. The report, published by the CDC, showed that between 2008... read more

Waging War Against CABSIs

New Warning for Anesthetic Use in Children and Pregnant Women

The FDA issued a warning that repeated or lengthy use of general anesthetics and sedatives during surgeries or procedures in children aged <3 years or in pregnant women during their 3rd trimester may affect the development... read more

New Warning for Anesthetic Use in Children and Pregnant Women

VR Technology for Surgical Procedures Planning

Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland developed a technology that uses CT data to generate 3-D images that can be viewed in a virtual environment to help surgeons as they plan surgical procedures. The technology,... read more

VR Technology for Surgical Procedures Planning

Randomised trials role in surgery

In medical science, as in all walks of life, we are impressed by dramatic effects.  If a new treatment seems much better than an old one initially, there is often impatience to get on and use it, and people question why... read more

Randomised trials role in surgery

Emotional impact on relatives & friends in ICU

Having a relative, partner or close friend critically ill in ICU is a crisis situation that everyone deals with differently. Here people talk about the emotional effects when someone they were related to or close to was ill... read more

Emotional impact on relatives & friends in ICU

Lower threshold for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair linked to reduced mortality

The study examined the differences between the threshold of repair and aneurysm-related mortality in England and the United States. The rate of hospitalization due to a ruptured aneurysm and aneurysm-related death was significantly... read more

Lower threshold for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair linked to reduced mortality

Researchers developing biomaterial with potential to treat vascular bleeding

Researchers at Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing a biomaterial that has potential to protect patients at high risk for bleeding in surgery.... read more

Researchers developing biomaterial with potential to treat vascular bleeding

Vasopressin vs. norepinephrine for vasoplegic shock after cardiac surgery

Patients in the VANISH trial treated with vasopressin had a lower incidence of renal failure requiring hemodialysis. However, this was a secondary endpoint which seemed to contradict the primary endpoint (defined as a milder... read more

Vasopressin vs. norepinephrine for vasoplegic shock after cardiac surgery

Nonadherence to Meds Hurts NSTEMI Patients, Especially After PCI

Patients who were revascularized for a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) did better if they adhered to their medications.... read more

Nonadherence to Meds Hurts NSTEMI Patients, Especially After PCI

Bariatric surgery may protect against heart failure

Bariatric surgery appears to reduce substantially the risk of heart failure.... read more

Bariatric surgery may protect against heart failure

Simultaneous assessment of the synthesis rate and transcapillary escape rate of albumin in inflammation and surgery

Single measurements of the synthesis rate and/or transcapillary escape rate of albumin obviously cannot explain the plasma level of albumin or the changes seen in plasma albumin concentration.... read more

Simultaneous assessment of the synthesis rate and transcapillary escape rate of albumin in inflammation and surgery

Patients benefit from tranexamic acid in surgery, withholding blood pressure meds before

Four innovative studies exploring ways to reduce complications related to heart surgery or minimize patient mortality due to risks associated with low blood pressure and surgery.... read more

Patients benefit from tranexamic acid in surgery, withholding blood pressure meds before

Ultraviolet air sterilizer reduces sepsis and mortality in cardiac surgery patients

An ultraviolet air steriliser reduces sepsis and mortality in cardiac surgery patients, according to this research. The investigators found that sepsis occurred in 3.4% of patients using the steriliser compared to 6.7% patients... read more

Ultraviolet air sterilizer reduces sepsis and mortality in cardiac surgery patients